Jeremis Smith of Dunbar led the Tarrant County team with a game-high 27 points. Smith, a Georgia Tech signee, highlighted the game with an array of dunks in the first half. At halftime, his dunking show continued in the slam dunk contest. Smith won the title over Tarrant County teammate Robert Lee of Eastern Hills. In the final round of the dunk contest, Smith ran the length of the floor and leaped just beyond the free-throw line for a crowd-pleasing dunk. Smith was also named MVP of the game.

Guess who was the MVP for the other team? None other than Joel Bosh. Any relation you say? Yes - the younger brother of our own Chris Bosh. Joel is a 6'8" player who was not recruited by GT and will probably sign with a mid-major squad.

Story by a KY paper that this will now officially allow them to offer R.Morris. Of course their real problem is not the limits of the 5/8. It is that they are already at the 13 'ship limit. So to make room for Morris, at least one player will have to leave or lose his 'ship.

Terrell Smith is considering Alabama, Ole Miss, LSU, Florida and Georgia Tech. Not a bad list to be associated with. Showing yet again that we are starting to make the short lists of some talented kids.

An age limit - not original - but the catalyst might be Maurice Clarett (story here). We will see. It would be hard for the NBA to use the same arguement as the NFL - their bodies are not ready for the pro game - since the NBA has proven that many of these kids are physically ready. From the article:

It is true the past two rookies of the year, Amare Stoudemire and LeBron James, entered the league out of high school. But the NBA as a business and basketball as a sport cannot afford to sacrifice their future for the rare players who develop rapidly and the shoe companies that adore them.

Of 25 highly rated U.S. high school players who entered the draft since 1995, seven are out of the league and three spent all or most of this season hidden on the injured list. Six others, including five lottery picks, averaged fewer than a dozen points. Basically, two-thirds aren't cutting it. And the list of collegians who entered the draft early without sufficient experience to make a difference or make a team is even longer.

Coach Bob Huggins likes the change (story here)............... While Coach Hewitt likes the dropping of the 5/8, the academic reform package that replaces it is not one of his favorites (story here). Quote - "The last I checked, across this country, high school students are receiving an education that varies in levels," he said. "If we have such a wide range in the quality of education that is given to young people, why should we blame them for coming from a school district that doesn't have the best funding? People at the NCAA have made an awful lot of money on kids they are going to turn their backs on." .............. Here is another quote from Coach Hewitt - "Two things are going to happen out of this rule - athletes are going to be encouraged to take the easiest major possible, and if you decide to change majors and you don't have the necessary credits in your major, you're going to become ineligible," Hewitt told the Baltimore Sun."............. Obviously Coach Hewitt feels strongly about this, because here is another quote to the Washington Post - "Walking in the door, if your desire is to find what computer science of engineering is all about," Georgia Tech men's basketball coach Paul Hewitt said yesterday, "and you decide after a year to change majors then you are going to lose credits and there would be no way for you to meet the percentages. . . . Instead of improving the opportunity for a kid to get an education, we are going to absolutely dumb down college athletics."

And check out the last part of that article - "Coaches and the NCAA are not on the same page, said Hewitt, pointing to a July meeting in Indianapolis between NCAA administrators and coaches regarding the academic reform proposal. There, he said, an NCAA administrator said: "It's simple, guys. All you have to do is start recruiting guys that look like graduates. I was offended by it, but I didn't take it personally," Hewitt said. "It reaffirmed in my mind that there is a major disconnect between what we're doing as coaches, what students are trying to achieve and what [NCAA administrators'] perception is of us."

Ok, Luol, you will be a top 5 pick this year, but you could be the #1 pick next year and National POY if you stay. (And by the way, we need you more than you need us). Andy Katz is reporting that the game is not over yet.

Interesting report from "txsting" over at the Hive. I especially like the recruiting tactics to counteract the UGA tactics:

"UGA (and other) coaches will recruit against us by showing recruits our Calculus book and asking them if they want to go through that. Our coaches respond by appealing to the competitive nature of the kids - i.e. "they (UGA) don't think you're smart enough to handle it!"

Looks like he will be paired with Kevin Costner at the BMW Charity Pro-Am this weekend, along with Brian Hull as a 3rd. (pairings here). Evidently Molder last year was paired with Costner's then girlfriend (now wife) - per "BigOldStinger" at the Hive, so they must have developed a shine to one another.

What an honor............................................... for Kevin Costner to be paired with a Tech man.

Evidently he was on the radio up in Raliegh NC yesterday - going through a bunch of recruiting notes. Said he believed Morris would chose college and would eventually chose GT over UK. Time will tell. Thanks to "Y Jacket" over at StingTalk for sharing that comment.

It will now be a Sat / Sun series with a doubleheader on Saturday. Why? Exams - although maybe GT will have an advantage. Our exams are over on Friday, while NCST starts their exams on Monday. Maybe our guys will be clear-headed with lower stress while NCST will have tests are their minds.

Looks like even our volleyball team is in solid hands with Coach Bond Shymansky (story here)............... In other smaller sport news, GT WON the Div A Lacrosse championship by taking down Florida - congrats!!

Check out Aaron Lewis, a talented defensive end recruit. (story here). Quote - "This is exciting and I hope things go well. Right now, I am open and I like Florida State, Michigan, Georgia Tech, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona and Notre Dame."........... Now, isn't it nice to be mentioned in the same breath as FSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, etc. If Coach Gailey can continue to improve his recruiting classes as he has 3 years in a row, we will be just fine. No doubt we are more and more being mentioned in many of the top players' top 3-5 schools. Oh we may not win them all, but win one this year, maybe 2 next year, maybe 3 the following year, and who knows.

Here's an article about the psychology of championship rings, with a quote from a kid who eventually plans to transfer to GT and the football program - Andrew Schmidt (story here).

Well, it looks like a new academic reform package will be put in place that requires athletes to make steady progress towards their degree, and Coach Hewitt does not seem to like the new proposal any better than the one already in place.

Coach Hewitt:
"Two things are going to happen out of this rule - athletes are going to be encouraged to take the easiest major possible, and if you decide to change majors and you don't have the necessary credits in your major, you're going to become ineligible," Hewitt said.

You know what - he is right. You start penalizing schools by taking away 'ships if players are not making enough academic progress and you are going to see more "basket weaving" majors than ever before. How many engineering majors do think we will really see among our student athletes - not many.

Story here. Not kidding - Luke Nevill - and Coach Hewitt had made inquires for the guy as well. So now two big men (Pettway the other) have passed up on GT as we wait for R.Morris's decision. While on the surface this can look frustrating, don't get too frustrated, because here is the situation.

1. We don't know if these guys would have actually chosen GT had we NOT been pursuing Morris
2. We will be fine next season in the middle with Luke, Tarver and incoming frosh Ra'Sean Dickey. We don't need to fill that 'ship
3. Evidently next year's high school seniors have a strong class of big men, so no doubt Coach Hewitt will look to grab one of those talented guys to build around.

Of course the most frustrating aspect of this is it appears our best opportunity to win it all really is next season. After next year we lose Isma'il, Luke, Elder, McHenry, Bynum and likely Jack as well. That's 6 major contributors. Of course with the 4 guys already coming in the program seems to be in good hands, but we will be back to the youth cycle. Add Morris next season would seem to really give us incredible strength down low AND at the guard spots. The weakest part of our game last year - the half court set - would be instantly strengthened. But in the end, we are still going to be VERY strong in the middle.

Wednesday, April 28, 2004

Ok - check it out here: "Rams draft pick Tony Hargrove, a defensive end out of Georgia Tech, shaves his legs three times a week, believing this ritual makes him faster, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Maybe he can compare techniques with team owner Georgia Frontiere. "

Nice review by team, including a detailed look at the Jackets.............. Here's a story about one of Duke's keys to success next season now that Deng is leaving - keeping S.Williams out of foul trouble.

Make no mistake - the Jackets beesball team is not dead for the post-season. They are squarely in control of their destiny. Whether they make it happen is another story. Here is a story from the Macon Telegraph. GO JACKETS!!

This site grades each team's draft picks. The Rams get a B-, who as part of their picks went for Tony Hargrove. The Vikings get a B+, including their pick of Dorsey. The Chiefs get a B+, with their pick of K-Fox. The Jaguars get a B, including their pick D-Smith. Buffalo gets a B-, who picked Jonathan Smith late in the draft........... Here's more on J-Smith - "Smith caught 78 passes for 1,138 yards and five TDs, but the Bills think his greatest chance to contribute will be in the return game. He averaged 11.7 yards per punt return and scored two touchdowns. Mularkey also couldn’t ignore the fact that Smith lined up as a quarterback and a running back on occasion, and don’t forget, Mularkey coached the original “Slash,” Kordell Stewart. ”I’ll be honest, that intrigued me,” Mularkey said. “They tried to get the ball in his hands. Whether he can do it at this level, I don’t know, but I know he had experience at a high level of competition.”.............. Here's more on Hargrove. Can you believe this guy came to GT as a 220lb QB with a 39inch vertical, and gained 50 lbs of muscle and left as a top defensive player weighing 270 with a 39inch vertical - and just as quick. Amazing.

Well, Sebastian Telfair will make his decision known on May 5. It still looks strong towards skipping college. Shaun Livingston is another PG still figuring out what to do. He is projected as a top 10 pick and I don't see what type of sales job Coach K could do for the kid to keep him a Duke for a year. Maybe I'm wrong - but we will see.

Also note in this ESPN update that Randolph Morris will in fact make an announcement on May 6.

Today we are also likely to hear about Aaron Pettway's decision - which looks to be either Ok.St. or Alabama - my guess is OSU.

Sunday, April 25, 2004

Not sure any more than you will find in this article, but two former GT football players, Rob Healy and Brad Bourne were honored by the Football Foundation Banquest of Champions with the "Bill Wade Unsung Hero Award". Congrats, even though I don't have a clue what it is about.

... by Dr.Herbert Greenberg, who administers a psychological test that tries to evaluate players on their inner make-up. However, the good news is that Dr.Greenberg uses Bosh as an example of where he sometimes gets it wrong. (story here).

"But Greenberg says he has been wrong about some athletes. He advised the N.B.A.'s Toronto Raptors to steer clear of Georgia Tech's Chris Bosh, who just completed a solid rookie season."

Also worth mentioning that former Jacket QB and transfer Andy Hall was drafted #185 by the Eagles (link here). All Jacket fans should wish him the best. Interesting - here is a QB that didn't get much PT at GT - transfers to Delaware and leads them to a National Championship - then gets drafted. Did we miss something here?

Keyeron FoxOne comment on Fox's challenge on the Chiefs where his position is crowded - "The Chiefs' last pick of the day was their third-round choice, linebacker Keyaron Fox of Georgia Tech. Fox joins a crowded field of candidates for backup spots at outside linebacker. The field also includes Monty Beisel and Quinton Caver."............... This article shows that Fox is willing to do what it takes to play at the next level.............. Read here is you want to know why Fox chose GT over UGAg out of high school............. Here's some Q&A with Fox. On being asked about the Chief defense here was his quote - "Defense, from what I’ve been told, they need a little help.”

Tony HargroveSome great comments from Rams HC Martz -
“We are excited about Tony. Bill (Kollar) just went down and worked him out, again. The measurables were off the charts for a man his size. He had a terrific year, obviously he had academic issues last year and sat out, but the year before that, he’s what we look for in a defensive lineman. He has a terrific motor, I think he had a 39-inch vertical jump, 31 reps on the bench, he’s a big guy with speed that plays with a great deal of passion. He’s very athletic, he came to Georgia Tech as a quarterback.............. Interestingly, it appears that the Rams were poised to take QB Matt Schaub with the #91 pick, but when the Falcons took Schaub with #90, the Rams went for Hargrove instead.

We became intrigued with him in the last few weeks, and this is a guy that we spent a lot of time and did our homework on. We really felt like we’d like to have him in this draft and we felt like this was a guy that will ascend quickly, somebody that Bill can develop. All the tools are there. He’s a high-motor guy. He’s got a terrific test score. He’s got a 27 (wunderlic) test score. The athleticism, the speed, the strength, all those things that you’re looking for in a pass-rusher and defensive end are there, and I think this is a guy that will develop pretty quickly for us.”

On trying to keep Hargrove a secret: “We did. He made 11 trips. It wasn’t much of a secret. I think when you sit out a year like that, when that happens, people are always a little bit leary, but there’s a lot of character with this young man. And again, I can’t say this enough, we did our homework on him. We know a great deal about him. And passing the Kollar test, as far as the intensity and the willingness to play at that level, he has that, that high motor, along with his athleticism. The thing he just doesn’t have is experience. He just hasn’t been there very long. I think those things that we’re all excited about are the willingness, and obviously he’s smart enough to learn all those things.”

Nat DorseyFrom the AP, here is a story on Dorsey. Dorsey also joins former Jackets Kelly Campbell and Nick Rogers on the Vikings........... Here's mention of Dorsey on insiders - "The Vikings added depth Sunday on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Offensive tackle Nat Dorsey of Georgia Tech needs to physically mature as he’s played only three seasons of college football but the fourth round pick has the skills to develop into a starter in the NFL"............... Of course we also have to remember that Dorsey was recruited to GT by none-other than George O'Leary, who just left the Vikings to take over the hc job at UCF................... For an interview with Dorsey click here............ Here's a full rundown on Dorsey's career.

Jonathan SmithSmith will join former Jacket Joe Burns on the Bills. Here are Tom Donahue's comments on Smith being a "slash" type player - "I'll be honest, it intrigued me. Yes. I looked at all the returners, I looked at all the receivers, when you see in evaluations from scouts and you talk to head coaches - Chan Gaily down there at Georgia Tech - he's used him as a quarterback. They try to get the ball in his hands, whatever fashion it was - he's that type of guy. It does intrigue me. Whether he can do it at this level or not, I don't know, but I know he's at least experienced at a high level of competition, and that part can be used for us."................... Here's a full rundown on Smith's career.

No ACC team had done it yet - but GT put their game on the line and took it to the Seminoles. Absolutely outstanding. A 3-game sweep at FSU. Maybe the tourney isn't so dead after all. Remember what I said early in the year - could this be the year Hall reverses our fortunes and plays their best ball at the END of the year instead of the beginning? Hopefully they didn't wait too long.

Gani Lawal, 6'7", 170lb, GA, 5-star, offered
GT has already offered a 'ship to this talented young big man who is still growing. Long and slender, very athletic, runs the floor well, finishes well around the basket and has a soft touch. Certainly UGA and GT will be looking hard at this GA state prospect.

Well, today is the big day for D-Smith, K-Fox, N-Dorsey, T-Hargrove, JP-Foschi, H-O'Reilly. Will they all get drafted? Where will they end up? The drama unfolds today............ Hargrove will watch the draft from his parents house (story here)............... Dorsey cannot stand the wait any longer (story here)............. Here are 3 mock drafts in one (Mel Kiper Jr is one), where D-Smith goes as high as #19.

The Boulware family has quite a legacy. Today Michael is likely to get drafted from FSU, older brother Peter was the NFL Defensive ROY and has a SuperBowl Ring, and older older brother Raleigh JR was a defensive lineman on the GT 1990 NC team. And notice that he is now an engineer. (story here).

Coach Hewitt comments on the likely repealing of the 5/8 rule (story here)........... Here's a snippet on Alex Galindo and who's interested. No doubt Kansas has the upper hand.......... As far as Aaron Pettway, it's looking more and more like it's down to Ok.St and Alabama. Our eggs are in the Morris basket for now. Let's be realistic about this though. If we don't get Morris and we don't get Pettway and we don't get Galindo, and we don't get anyone else, we will still be in great shape for next season.

It looks like May 6 is the date for his announcment. So where do we stand?

- UK insiders think once again that he is leaning towards UK
- National recruiting analysts talk more in terms of GT
- GT insiders are mixed - mostly not sure

It does appear that R.Morris and family are not making their intentions very clear - staying very tight-lipped. On the surface it appears that he is changing his mind a lot, but who knows for sure? We will know soon.

By the way, A.Pettway was going to visit last weekend, but did not, as the staff held him off. Now it looks like things have cooled with him. So the staff is sticking with Morris as the #1 guy.

Athens - University (sic) of Georgia officials announced a new terror system for their football stadium today. Recent revelations about strange behavior surrounding football games led to the decision by University (sic) officials.

"People have always acted a little funny when attending football games" said Vince Dooley, recently ousted Athletics Director, whose programs recorded a probation every 4.16 years. "You know, it used to be barkin' and woofin' and screaming at our own players when they we losing. Now its like I don't even know these people." Mr. Dooley couldn't provide further comment because he said he was "like a dog after a bone to figure out how to expense all these damn caterers, lawn care workers, and contractors" called in by his wife.

The move to a Terror Alert System is due in part due to a recent report online by a Georgia booster named "Bulldog". Mr. Bulldog reported "roving bands of frat boys patrol the visitors section just calling people out."

This revelation comes after recent reports of University (sic) frat boys killing and eating a rabid raccoon and fans urinating from above on other spectators entering the stadium.

At the press conference, University (sic) of Georgia President Michael Adams stated that "the system should be simple enough for our fans, athletes, and visiting fans alike. We have a strong tradition at Georgia for elementary level testing and comprehension. Even our freshman students should be able to grasp the color-coded concept even if they don't know how many points a 3 pointer is yet."

"We just want the world to know that we love our Dawgs and we will do just about anything to get that through to people."

"Chaunte Howard of Georgia Tech, the NCAA indoor champion, equalled the carnival record in the college women's high jump with a leap of 6 feet, 31/4 inches and won the event for the second straight year."

Look at this and tell me if you really wonder why high school ballers want to leave early. Can you say "bling bling". Can you believe K-Garnett is making $28 million per year? If you add up all the GT players on the list, you are talking the neighborhood of $35 million (8 guys).

In hoops, we heard yesterday about Derrick Byars deciding to transfer. Now freshman TJ Bannister gets arrested for disorderly conduct after a brawl at a frat house. Just what Coach Gillen needs in what could be his last season if things don't turn around.

The job never ends. Coach Hewitt just went out to Chi-town (Chicago) to visit talented PG Bobby Frasor. Coach Reese was in Las Vegas to visit with Jamal Boykin. Meanwhile one of the assistants was in Miami visiting David Heurtas.......... Not only that, Coach Hewitt will be at the Houston Kingwood Classic this weekend (story here). Hewitt will be one of the featured lecturers for a clinic for coaches.

Meanwhile on the R.Morris front, recruiting analysis Greg Swain evidently wrote in an article his "information" leads him to believe Morris will end up at GT. Also mentioned that A.Pettway was getting impatient with GT and would likely end up at Ok.St. Over at the Hive, someone reported that Dave Telep reported the same thing last week, although I never saw it myself.

In other news, CJ Giles, who has asked for his release from his LOI at Miami (after the coach firing) has yet to decide where he wants to go. GT has expressed interest, but of course we don't know if his release will be conditional.

... only "Sex and the City" is not the problem. More like closed circuit TV of the game you are playing. Of course if you are coaching, the best view is from centerfield - so you can get the signals. I guess Miami also likes to read their murder mysteries starting with the last page. Certainly not from our beloved ex-coach? Story here.

Well, linebacker positions have been the most up-for-grabs in the spring. We can expect increased competition in the fall when the new freshman show up, including Gary Guyton and Travis Chambers, among others. Here is a story on Guyton and the fact that he has added weight and increased his speed since signing.

More from the Jordan Capital Classic, played on Saturday and replayed on ESPN2 tonight. I didn't see it, but did record it. Sitting here in Cowansville Canada with NO ESPN at all - only "TSN". Let's just say, if you like hockey, this is the place to be.

Anyway, looks like J.Jack was yucking it up with Lebron James. Also a report that Chris Paul was interviewed and said he needed to work on his strength and get as strong as Jack to be more successful in the ACC next season.

Well, Tubby may have gotten his silver bullet. It does not mean he necesarrily gets Morris, but abolishing the 5/8 rule could certainly help his case. Of course he still needs one more player off scholarship to make room for Morris. (story here).

Generally you have to say yes - Lebron and Carmellow were clearly #1 and #2, but this article from SLAM! says that Bosh "got jobbed" by not being the #3 guy - instead coming in #5 behind Dwayne Wade and Kirk Hinrich. You know what - he is right - I can buy finishing 4th behind Wade. He could be considered the best player on that team. However, no way he finished behind Hinrich - NO WAY. The biggest factor is that Bosh played out of position. Starting center in the NBA for a 19 year old 6'11" 220lb guy going against 7 foot + guys at 280+. He had a very solid season considering the pounding he had to endure.

Gibbons also can take at least some credit for the trend of high school players forgoing college to play professionally. Gibbons was one of the early ones to discover Garnett, who became one of the first in a long line of players to go directly to the NBA. “Indirectly, I played a part in that,” Gibbons said. “I spotted Kevin when he was still a relatively unknown player in Mauldin and got him national exposure.”

I met this guy in Greenville SC last December. Had George Raveling sitting next to him - all the high school stars of the tourney made stops to his table courtside. Obviously modesty is not his strong suit. In this internet-driven, super-fanatical fan-following time in sports, he has found a niche and made a name for himself.

By the way - I shook his hand and asked him if the Jackets and Coach Hewitt had a chance at landing R.Morris. He answered - "A REAL good chance". Of course, we know that by now.

A great report on Coach Hewitt speaking in Rome GA from "techfowl" over at Stingtalk (thread here). A lot of good comments about recruiting, growth of the players, the media, lunch with Mark Bradley, etc.

By the way, Coach Hewitt has now replaced Coach Keaner - with Peter Zaharis (story here).

CJ Giles has asked for his release from Miami (story here).. He is a 6'11" all-state star from Washington who wants out. Here is the quote about his interests - "Several schools, including Washington, are interested in Giles. The list is known to include Arizona, Kansas, Duke, UCLA and Georgia Tech. "All the big guns," said Bethea."

However, let's not get our hopes up. It is not likely that Miami would release him unconditionally I sure doubt they would let another ACC school have him. (Remember Ed Nelson). Besides we are already of course in the running for R.Morris / A.Pettway....... and an outside shot at Alex Galindo....... and of course only one 'ship to give out.

This story about the Capital Classic and Bradon Giles, mentions autograph seekers and Dickey's cold shoulder:

"Then there were the autographs. After the game, a handful of youngsters were hanging over the rail pleading to get Giles' autograph, and he happily obliged them. Not all of his peers were so kind. National game all-star and Georgia Tech recruit Ra'Sean Dickey brushed off a teenage autograph seeker with cold denial."

Let me say this - I saw Dickey play in Greenville SC last December. He stopped and talked to just about everyone in attendence prior to his game. He made the rounds around the arena, went into the stands, shook hands, signed autographs, etc. In fact, I even got Dickey's autograph. I asked him if he had been watching the Jackets and he smiled and said "yeah". The impression I got was a nice kid, nice smile, laid back.

I guess all it takes is one writer seeing something and putting it in print.

Story here - don't know if this would be applied retroactively to this season - which could impact R.Morris's ability to go to UK. Probably the best news for fans of the true "student-athlete" concept, is that much closer monitoring of academic progress will occur and the ability of schools to add 'ships will be more closely related to academic progress. Stay tuned.

Coach Gailey was the guest at Monday's lunch bunch. I was not there, but will pass along some comments from our Coach as told from people who were there:

1. Reggie Ball will absolutely BE the starting QB this season. There is no QB controversy with Patrick Carter. In fact, Carter's success has only assured him of one thing - that he will likely be put on the field at another position. Coach Gailey has said that he is too talented to have him sitting on the sideline.

2. Salih Beseravic has stepped up bigtime in the spring. He has gone from back-up to starting O-Line right tackle

3. Lavon Thomas will handle kick-off returns, but the punt-return duties are still open. Incoming frosh Patrick Clark is a possibility

4. Up to 10 of the incoming freshman could see PT on the field

5. Linebackers are KaMichael Hall, Gerris Wilkinson and Chris Reis - the incoming frosh could play as well.

6. Coach Gailey said that PJ Daniels is THE best pass-blocking running backs in the country. This is where PJ's back-ups need work.

Now it will be have the much sexier "MPC Computers Bowl" (story here)...... OOOOOoooooohhhhh, what a name. Honestly, we have been treading on the Bowl Mendoza Line for the past few years. Hopefully we can step things up and make it to a slightly more established bowl this year.

K-Fox and D-Smith made a trip to the Jets facility in Hempsted (story here)......... Here's a look at Linebackers from a Broncos perspective - both guys get mention............ Could N-Dorsey get a shot with the Bears? Probably not, but you never know.

Monday, April 19, 2004

They finally posted the box score - Dickey went 3-6 from the field, scored 6 points, grabbed 2 boards (1 off), committed 3 fouls, had 1 block and 1 steal, all in 13 minutes. In the 1st half, he played 9 minutes, hit 2 of those buckets. Only played 4 minutes in the 2nd half. Of course he was on the same team as Dwight Howard and Malik Hairston and Robert Vaden, all who had great games. (Official Box Score).

The replay of the game will be broadcast Wednesday night on ESPN 2 at 5:00pm EST.

Read this story on the Harrick NCAA hearings on the hoops scandal. Do you feel any sorrow for them? Honestly, I have a small part of me that feels a little bad for them. But then again, I also have a small part of me that wants to watch the Bachelor - but it doesn't mean you do it!!!

When a recruit committed, there used to be a respect among the coaching bretheran to back off. With millions of dollars and jobs on the line, backing off is not as common. Interesting article about coaches "stealing" players who have committed to other schools. I guess I look at it a little differently. Until that LOI is signed, don't count your chickens. You cannot lose something you never had and the LOI is the only tangible item that says you have something. The word of an 18 year old is not exactly something I would go to the bank with.

Now, what seems the most ridiculous to me in this whole process is kids committing while they are junior and even sophomores in high school. Why on earth are they doing that and who is advising them? If it is just wanting less pressure during the recruiting process - forget it - they are still going to come after you. Countless recruits have committed as juniors and then backed off. The most recent was Joey Cameron, who verballed to Clemson, but then decided to see what else was out there for him. If a recruit wants to tone down the recruiting process, and lower the pressure, then make it very clear what your short list of 5-10 schools are, and do not accept calls from anyone else.

The only thing more uncertain than the opinion of an 18 year old, in the opinion of a 16 year old. What a crazy business - and I do mean BUSINESS!!!

Our man Luke was named to the "Boomers" training squad for the Athens Olympics. These guys will be on the "shadow squad" and will ultimately have a great shot at making the official team. The team goes into camp May 10-14, followed up with 2 more camps before heading on tours in Italy, New Zealand, Serbia and Montenegro. (complete story here). Congrats Luke - Aussie Aussie Aussie.... Oy Oy Oy!!!!!

Well, Jarrett Jack has said he is coming back to GT for his junior season. But check this out - ESPN Insiders top PG's. Jack is at #4 on the list, only behind Shaun Livingston, Ben Gordon and Devin Harris. They have him ahead of Sebastian Telfair, Jameer Nelson and Chris Duhon........... So why is ranked so high? Well, my guess is that this list is based on potential and size. Jack's potential is as good as anyone of the list, but then you throw on the fact that he is 6'3" with a big strong body and there is a lot to like. Make no mistake - he is probably our best NBA prospect right now. Again, Jack has told the staff he will return. Let's hope he does not change his mind.

You can also click on other positions and note that R.Morris is shown as the #7 center on the list.

In NBA draft news, one recruiting "insider", Kurt O'Neill, reported on the radio that Luol Deng is going pro - nothing confirmed - could be one of those famous internet rumors. If that is true, and S.Livingston declares out of high school, Duke will be seriously weakened next season - start crying in your beers. Over at Chapel Hill, UNC fans are praying that this drops JR Smith, their hot recruit down another spot in the draft and convinces him to go to school - fat chance........... Of course, by reading this article, it leads you to believe that parents selling out their children is alive and well. Based on that, JR wants to go to school, but his dad sees dollar signs in his eyes. Another 7 footer, Colorado junior David Harrison, has announced his intentions to enter the draft, probably dropping Smith even another spot. Stay tuned.

For some REALLY long-term recruiting, check out this profile of Curtis Kelly - evidently he has some strong interest in GT, and is probably a heavy UNC lean - of course he is also a sophomore in high school, so let's not get too wrapped up in this one.

Well, Buck Fredrick was named Mr.Basketball in SC this season. Ra'Sean Dickey was POY in his classification. Anthony Morrow was the Charlotte Observer's POY and 1st team. Now Jeremis Smith wins the boys POY in his region, was named to the 1st team, was selected 1st team all-state by the Texas Association of Coaches. He was also named the Fort Worth Region POY.

"Before departing for Georgia Tech, the super-strong Smith capped his Dunbar days with career-high averages in scoring (26.1) and rebounding (8.3). In Smith's final three seasons, the Wildcats were a combined 101-6 with three Whataburger Basketball Tournament titles, two state tournament appearances and one Class 4A championship.

With a rare mixture of size, strength, quickness and ball-handling ability, Smith left a giant footprint on Fort Worth-area basketball during his four seasons with the Wildcats. The 6-6 Smith averaged 26.1 points per game in 2003-04 and was selected first-team all-state by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches."

Nat Dorsey/Georgia Tech/6-5/325/5.34/Junior: Big, athletic blocker that does not give up an inch to defenders, Dorsey has proven to be a dominant force and effective blocker for both the run and pass. Still very rough around the edges, he is a work in progress but the upside Dorsey offers is very enticing.

Still cannot find out how Ra'Sean Dickey performed. Found this article about the game, with mention of Dennis Scott, when discussing players leaving early. - "I go back to 1986 when I had [former Georgia Tech and NBA guard] Dennis Scott, who was the national player of the year, the Naismith player of the year and as good as anybody on the floor," said Montrose Christian School and white jersey team head coach Stu Vetter. "There was no talk of him going to the NBA [out of high school]. That's how things have changed drastically in the last 15 years or so."

Mention of Dorsey - "Georgia Tech’s Nat Dorsey is considered a potential first-rounder, and has a desirable wingspan at 6-7. But his 5.4-second 40-yard speed leaves questions. Purdue’s Kelly Butler has almost the same dimensions. His quickness is better than Dorsey’s, but he hasn’t been as successful over the course of his college career"............. Mention of D-Smith here - "Linebacker Daryl Smith of Georgia Tech, slated to come off the board at No. 28 in some mock drafts, would surprise no one by dropping to the second round."

Looks like UNC recruit JR Smith will be heading to the draft - cutting that awesome class in half, since J.Curry was busted for drug dealing and lost his 'ship.

The Capital Classic was played last night. Here are the results:

- Dwight Howard gets the MVP, scoring 18 points and grabbing 15 boards, along with 6 blocks
- Al Jefferson scored 17 and grabbed 10 boards - expect him to announce for the draft in the next week or so.
- Our own Jarrett Jack was in attendence, along with M.Jordan, Lebron, T-Owens, Red Auerbach, Chris Paul,
- I cannot find how Ra'Sean Dickey performed - have not found a box score.

Meanwhile, Jeremis Smith was the biggest star at the Pittsburg Hoops Classic, showing off his ability to throw-down. From this article - "The high-flying Smith, who has signed with Georgia Tech, was on the receiving end of many of those passes, scoring 19 points and throwing down an array of impressive dunks."

Saturday, April 17, 2004

Being an out-of-towner, I was mowing my grass today, but here are some reports from the boards about the scrimmage today:

1. Most people said that Patrick Carter clearly outplayed Reggie Ball today. Carter had a much better touch on his passes, showing good skills with the fade pass and short outs as well. Ball evidently was solid early, but still floating a few jpasses and ran around an awful lot. Ball finished 9-16 for 116 yards, while Carter was 5-11 for 117 yards.
2. Also making a good showing at QB was Taylor Bennett, showing good touch and a tight spiral
3. PJ Daniels looked good in limited snaps, with 74 yards and a TD
4. Chris Woods the good - showed some breakaway speed with a 53 yard dash and score in the 1st half, finishing with 73 yards
5. Chris Woods the bad - fumbled at least once. R.Grant fumbled once on his very first carry.
6. Eric Henderson was the man on defense today, causing all kinds of problems for the offense
7. The punting game is still not in order yet. One nice 50+ yarder, but a bunch of short ones also
8. Nat Curry looked very good at wide receiver, although he did not have a strong cover guy on him

The scrimmage pitted mostly 1st team O with the 1st team D, although there was some switching to test players.

Didn't seem to be any serious injuries - a few guys got banged up like Eric Henderson and D-Bilbo, but nothing serious.

Evidently there was a bit of bad blood between Williams and Padgett's father. Check out this article by Andy Katz, as posted on an AZ board (story here).......... Meanwhile, here is the latest on UNC's current class and the possibility of them going to the NBA early.

One of the top RB's in the nation has GT in his "top 5" for next season. That would be Maurice Wells (profile here). This kid is the real deal and led the state of Florida in rushing last season. Also happened to rush for 429 yards in one game, breaking the state record. Right now he is getting offers from anyone and everyone. His high school coach happens to be Adam Geis, son of GT assistant coach Buddy Geis.

Over at the Hive, they said he was at the scrimmage today and Coach Geis took him around and introduced him to everyone on the field after the game.

In my mind the team to look out for might be Ohio State. Saw an unconfirmed report he was born in Ohio and might even have family there. Certainly the big Florida schools will be in the running. But every big Div I-A school is after him, so we will see what happens. No doubt when the star rankings come out, he will probably be a 5-star kid and peg the scale.

Joe will be back in town Sunday and back on the field with the Orlando Predators, after recovering from bone spurs in his knee. So far this season he is the 9th rated passer and has thrown 27 TD's and only 3 INT's. Not bad at all. He will have about 50 relatives at the game Sunday when he returns to the ATL. (story here).

Odia is joined on the USA team by 6-2 guard Zam Frederick of St. Matthews, S.C., and 6-6, 230-pound forward Jeremis Smith of Fort Worth, Texas, who have signed with national runner-up Georgia Tech.

"Being a Georgia Tech recruit makes it harder for us now that they made it to the national championship game," Smith said. "That raises expectations for us."

Both were 3,000-point scorers, but they worked well together in practice, as Frederick threw alley-oops of the backboard to Smith for crowd-pleasing dunks.

"Everybody is trying to make a name for himself; it doesn't matter which game you play in," Frederick said. "It's what you do when you get to school. People can shine early and fall off. We're hungry. We want to show what we can do."

Story on Chris Reis flourishing at linebacker............ Kenny Scott is having an "explosive" spring. You can tell from the quotes this guy is a major competitor and wants to play every snap.......... Here's a detailed look at all the position experiments Coach Gailey has tried this spring.

I'll tell you where they are - sitting home on the couch watching the Mavericks playoff games. Best was left off the playoff roster in favor of Tony Delk (story here). That seals it - I hope the Mavericks get smoked in round 1.

Article here. Quote - "The Classic is gaining so much attention that Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt, who led his team to the NCAA title game, called scouting coordinator Marvin Wright to ensure that two of his recruits -- Jeremis Smith and Frederick Zam -- would be invited to the game."

Notice the mention of GT (story here). From article - "Greg Oden is ranked as the top recruit in the sophomore class by rivalshoop.com, and Mike Conley is No. 39, but National Collegiate Athletic Association rules prohibit coaches from contacting them until their junior season. Instead, coaches leave messages for Keefer. A Georgia Tech coach called during the Final Four and concluded a message with, "Say hello to Mike and Greg."

... in some of the comments, here is a story on two of their recruits coming in, one of whom is still considering the NBA. Also notice the mention of Dennis Scott

From the article:
"The atmosphere is nothing like, say, 1986, when a young sharpshooter from Flint Hill (Va.) named Dennis Scott, who was coached by Vetter and rated the top high school player in the nation, never thought twice about attending Georgia Tech. Scott left for the NBA after three seasons with the Yellow Jackets.

"Probably the best player I coached in high school was Dennis Scott. He was by far the best player in the country, and there wasn't even talk about [going straight to the pros]," Vetter said.

"Dennis could have done it. He's in the category of a Rudy Gay. It just shows how high school basketball has grown every year."

Well, the speculation is really heating up now. Let me re-cap what people are saying:

- An Insiders.com article that came out yesterday quoted Morris's father as saying the NBA is OUT. It will be GT or UK.
- UK insiders believe he is UK bound, and have not wavered much on that position in the last few weeks.
- Bob Gibbons, a national recruiting analyst, has said it was down to GT and the NBA
- A handul of GT people who claim to have "inside contacts" say he is GT bound for sure. However, their credibility is completely unknown
- RamblinRed, who is probably the most credible GT poster on hoops has said he doesn't know and believes the NBA is a stronger option than we have been led to believe.

Meanwhile, one of the subplots has been the availability of 'ships over at UK. The GT 'ship situation became clear when Jim Nystrom headed back to Europe. Over at UK, news just came out that recruit Adam Williams has agreed to attend prep school for one year (story here), which basically gets them in compliance with the 5/8 rule. However that is BEFORE Morris. So it is not clear if they would qualify for the 5/9 exemption that allows one additional player is someone leaves early but is in good academic standing.

What is clear is that a decision will not occur until May. Stay tuned.

On another note, it looks like at least one of UNC's recruits will go to school this season - Marvin Williams (story here)............ Also, it is confirmed that David Padgett will transfer out of Kansas - his finalists were UNC, AZ and Standford originally. And remember who recruited him to Kansas - Roy Williams. Here is another story on that.

Wednesday, April 14, 2004

Story on Howard and his decision............ Julius Hodge has decided to return for his senior campaign at NCST, which will make that team a real contender again next season. Good news for the ACC as Felton / McCants / May at UNC also announced their return.......... The Big East takes a hit as both Omeka Okafor and Ben Gordon made their NBA departures official.

On the high school recruiting front for GT, here is a nice story on Alex Galindo, someone we are looking at depending on the outcome of the Morris / Pettway saga.

Lastly remember a guy Coach Hewitt was recruiting awhile ago - Davis Nwankwo (6-9-1/2, 235, Georgetown Preparatory Academy / North Bethesda, Md.). Today he committed to Vanderbilt along with another big power forward. I would say they just landed a top 25 class with those guys. Nwankwo wanted to go to AZ but his parents wanted Standford. Not sure what happened, but he is SEC bound.(story here)

DWIGHT HOWARD SURPRISEWell, Dwight Howard announces his decision. Was there a surprise? Actually YES. He announces he will be enrolling at UNC................BBBBBBUUUUUUTTTTTTT he will ALSO be entering his name in the draft. So he will forgo his college eligibility to play hoops, but will enroll as a student and NOT forgo his education. How about that? (story here)............. To read Dwight's personal account, click here - you can also find out what "ride" he plans to buy.

Guess who is going to be riled up over this? How about UNC fans!! Talk about ironic. You know the old saying "A bird in the hand sometimes is just as bad as one in the bush".

ONE MORE POSSIBLE RECRUIT ON THIS YEAR'S RADARWe know about R.Morris and A.Pettway. There could be another outside possibility on the radar - Alex Galindo. A 6'7" forward who originally signed with UTEP but was released from his LOI when the coach left for Texas A&M. RamblinRed over at the Hive describes him (thread here) as a very versatile guy who does many things well, but nothing great. Can score, shoot, handle the ball - top 75 type player. We'll see if anything materializes depending on what happens with Morris / Pettway.

ROY WILLIAMS GETS SOME GOOD NEWSRoy may lose up to 3 of his new star recruits, but he got good news - that R.Felton and R.McCants will be staying put for at least another year. Sean May also previously announced his return as well.(story here). Pretty "confident" bunch.

How about this. GT plays Alabama, GT wins 1-0 and BOTH teams fire no-hitters. Talk about rare. It happened this week (story here). "Following a one-hour, 15-minute rain delay in the third inning of game one, the Yellow Jackets were able to scratch the game's lone run across on a walk, a stolen base, a sacrifice and an advance to home on a double steal attempt for a 1-0 lead."

First order of business when taking a new HC job - make sure the signed recruits are "stroked" properly and will still show up on campus. (story here). That's what Keaner was doing even before he turned in his resignation letter to GT.

Here is an article about UK and an update on their recruiting class, including mention of Randolph Morris, whose family is not returning phone calls right now. (I don't blame them)................ Here's another article on the UK situation with quotes from recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons.............. Meanwhile, looks like Aaron Pettway will make his official visit to GT this weekend. This article mentions that as well his recruitment by Miss.St.

- Gerris Wilkinson, who started the spring at strong side outside linebacker is now working at middle linebacker.
- Chris Reis looks like he will flank Gerris on the strong side, and
- KaMichael Hall on the weak side linebacker position.

Obviously it is a challenge to replace three talented linebackers (Smith, Fox, Brown). For the full story, click here............... Here's the AJC spin.

Been discussed before here, but here is the latest with quotes from recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons. Could go from 4 top 50 players to only 1, with one getting busted on drug charges and 2 possible NBA draft entries straight from high school.

How about Miss Georgia, who just finished in the top 10 of the Miss USA pageant - who also happens to be a management major at GT. Not bad at all............ Of course the deck may have been stacked - guess who one of the judges was? None other than our own John Salley.

Well, Coach Hewitt is of course going to continue to wait out Morris, but says that we will not use the 'ship just to use it if he doesn't come. (story here).......... This article mentions Morris at the bottom and says his decision will come in May.

Well, talk of the NFL is heating up as it gets closer........... Here, a mock-draft has D-Smith going #36 to the Lions. From the article - "36.Detroit Lions: Daryl Smith LB Georgia Tech- Daryl would be a quality edition to a mediocre Lions defense. He would compliment Boss Bailey and help set up a future dynamic duo at linebacker."

This site looks at the top linebackers in the draft and actually has K-Fox listed as the #4 guy and D-Smith #5 and Tony Hargrove comes in at #19 and a real wild card in the draft.

From article:
4. Keyaron Fox, Georgia Tech (6-2 3/8, 227)
At the combine, a hamstring problem limited him to lifting (28 times). At Georgia Tech's Pro Day, he ran two 40s in 4.73 and 4.79, the short shuttle in 4.24 and the three-cone drill in 7.11. He also had a 361/2-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-6 broad jump. Named MVP of the Georgia-Florida All-Star Game (10 tackles, pass breakup, forced fumble). At Georgia Tech, he played as a true freshman in 2000 but missed three games with a broken arm. He started for three years and had 155 tackles in 2003. Played some defensive end during games in 2002. Aggressive, nasty, great temperament for position, hard worker. He can play in space. Rangy-type frame.

5. Daryl Smith, Georgia Tech (6-1 5/8, 234)
Only lifted at the combine (24 times). At Georgia Tech's Pro Day, he ran two 40s in 4.60 and 4.63, the short shuttle in 4.21 and the three-cone drill in 7.25. He also had a 361/2-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-3 broad jump. He played baseball in high school; also a linebacker. He played in the Georgia-Florida All-Star Game. At Georgia Tech, he started 10 games as a true freshman in 2000. He returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown that season. He started the past three seasons. He had 122 tackles in 2003. A high-effort player who gives 100 percent every play. Has good strength and athletic ability. Good, thick upper body. Can play in space. Size is a question mark; not as big as you would like, but can run.

19. Tony Hargrove, Georgia Tech (6-3 3/8, 269)
Hargrove ran his 40s in 4.68 and 4.70. He had a 39-1/2-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot-2 long jump, 30 strength lifts and ran 4.24 in the short shuttle and 7.14 in the three-cone drill. Hargrove didn't play last year (academically ineligible) but has sure gotten the attention of scouts around the league. This is a wild card in this year's draft. He could go in the third or fourth round as a linebacker or defensive end.

Check out this impressive article on Tony Hargrove from SI.com. You NEED to read the article. I started to paste in some quotes, but I would end up pasting the whole dang thing. It is a fascinating look at a guy on nobody's radar who puts up "freakish" physical workout numbers and all of the sudden he is flying around the country working out for all kinds of teams and being talked about as a possible 2nd round pick. Also note the comments about him flunking out of GT. Note his workload - Calculus, Accounting II, Financial Management. Don't give me crap about cake classes for athletes at GT. These are the classes EVERYONE takes - athletes included.

On Tony Hargrove:
"....Teams that run the 3-4, like Houston, are intrigued with Hargrove's ability to play outside rush linebacker, and still be able to put his hand on the ground and generate pass rush in the 4-3 -- a rare combination in today's NFL. Once considered a likely second-day sleeper pick by many clubs, Hargrove ruined that plan with his workout, which exhibited his almost freaky blend of explosiveness, speed, strength and high motor.

"People always fall in love with measurables,'' said Atlanta head coach Jim Mora, whose Falcons have visited with Hargrove, a prospect in their own backyard. "You see a guy with his size and his explosion and ability to run and jump, and you say, 'Wow. I can make something of this guy.' It doesn't surprise me that people are talking about him in the second round...."

Here's more on D-Smith / K-Fox (story here):
Georgia Tech's Daryl Smith, 6-1, 234, is a smart inside linebacker who is rarely caught out of position and offers all of the intangibles teams love. But he's a marginal athlete and runs a 4.7, which could drop him into the third round.

Tech teammate Keyaron Fox, 6-2, 227, is an athletic and explosive outside linebacker, though undersized. He flashes and is disruptive at the point of attack. Fox can cover backs and tight ends and would be a solid pick in the third round.

Well, St.John's didn't get their guy Paul Hewitt, but they did get "a young Paul Hewitt". What? Hewitt is barely 40 years old and you're getting a "young" Paul Hewitt. Wow. The new hc is Norm Roberts, an assistant at Kansas (story here). From the article - "Roberts, who withdrew his name from consideration for the SMU job, has been described as a young Paul Hewitt. Hewitt, who has spoken highly of Roberts, guided the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to the national championship game this season."............ Here's another version chronicling the search and the candidates and the final choice............ Here's the AP Story.............. Here's the NY Post article, which seems to endorse the move. Hewitt even gets quoted. Without heading over to the St.John's boards, my bet is that most of that fickle fan-base is probably ok with this move, even though it is a risk. They all know that aversion to risk 5 years ago cost them Paul Hewitt.

In other coaching news, Miami named Frank Haith their new hoops HC, an assistant with Texas under Rick Barnes. And check out this article reference - "Two weeks ago, Dee set out searching for the next Paul Hewitt, who has taken Georgia Tech's programs to great heights in a relatively short time." So Paul Hewitt has become a catch-phrase, the next big thing......... Here's more on the hire............. Here's one more on the Haith hire.

Sleepers: End Tony Hargrove (Georgia Tech) didn't even play in 2003, after he was ruled academically ineligible, but certainly bears consideration. He is a pure outside rusher, who can really get upfield and had double-digit sacks, and might project to linebacker in a 3-4.

Well, we lose Bynum, Luke, Isma'il, McHenry, Elder.... possibly Jack...... if Morris comes a possibility he goes. If all these things came to pass, we would be looking at 7 departing players (worst case). Needless to say, next season's recruiting class is just as important as the one Coach Hewitt just signed. "FreshJacket2007" over at the Hive just posted a look at some of the key players we are looking at (link here).

Here is the list (with Rivals rankings shown):

PG -
1. Bobby Frasor(IL) - 33rd - Tech in his top 8 - scholly offered; tough hard-nosed player
2. Byron Eaton(TX) - 57th - We're on his radar, should be able to climb up his list with NC appearance (was teammates with Chris Bosh one year)
3. Josh Thornton(DE) - 74th - Not in his top 4, but we are in the mix
4. Denis Clement(FL) - 95th - In the mix
5. Brian McTear(CA) - NR - KU is at the top right now, beating them early next year could move us higher up his list
6. Sean McCurdy(NJ) - NR - Could become a top recruit, coached by Bobby Hurley
7. Justin Wheeler(SC) - NR
8. Jermonte Bush - NR - can put points on the board., from Tallahassee

SG -
1. David Huertas(FL) - 19th - Five Star, in the mix, Ariz and KU leaders, another situation that makes the KU game huge next year (visited by Hewitt last week)
2. Austin Jackson(TX) - 35th - Tech is probably his leader right now, great baseball prospect as well
3. KC Rivers(NC) - 59th - Tech is in the mix along with NCState and Wake, doesn't have any favorites yet
4. Sead Odzic(IL) - 99th - Have a great chance to land this kid if unable to lure Jackson or Rivers

PF -
1. Theo Davis(CAN) - 23rd - Rising star from up way North, would be tough to get him so far south
2. Amir Johnson(CA) - 29th - We don't have a great shot at getting Amir, one of the best recruits in the nation
3. Rashad Chase(GA - ATL) - 72nd - We have a great shot at this local big man(6'7, 225)
4. Mike Freeman(MD) - 100th
5. Jay Brown(GA - Griffin) - NR

C -
1. Tyrell Biggs(NJ) - 38th - Big big man with tremendous upside, if we beat KU next year, we have a great shot at landing him

Monday, April 12, 2004

Well, we looked at Anthony Morrow earlier in the week. Now lets look at Zam "Buck" Fredrick. Bottom line - Buck is a winner. He has been on his high school varsity team since he was in 8th grade. They have been to 5 straight state championship games. They won 3 times, including recently in his senior year. Some stats of interest:

His game is a combination of long-distance range and ability to get to the hoop. He handles the ball well and seems to get to the free throw line A LOT. He is a big guard at 6ft, 200lb. When I saw him in person, my opinion was that he was not quite ready for a grueling full ACC season. He will benefit from Coach Hewitt's off-season conditioning would help. The great thing is that he is not expected to fill an empty hole. He will have an opportunity to grow and contribute as a #1 back-up with both Jack and Bynum at the PG spots and Elder at SG. He will not have to play major minutes but should defnitely be in the regular rotation.

Just another example of the quality young men Coach is recruiting - smart, well-spoken, talented, coachable. Everything indicates that he is excited about getting to campus and runnin' with his new team. Definitely looks like he will help carry on the legacy for the program.

To see more pictures from my gallery when I saw him in person - click here (the password is "stinger92").